MR. PATRICK O'BRIENOn behalf of the hon. Member for St. Patrick's Division of Dublin, I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether the Irish Board of Works have taken any steps with regard to the silting up by quarry owners of the pier at Castle-town Berehaven; and whether he can state what has been done to preserve the pier in a condition suitable for the trade of the district and the shipment of fish.
§ MR. G. W. BALFOURIn November last the Board of Works caused this pier to be inspected, and directed the attention of the Grand Jury to the necessity of removing an accumulation of silt in the harbour. The Grand Jury at the March Assizes granted the sum of £100 for the purpose; inquiry will be made whether the work has been carried out. Inquiries made at the inspection in November tended to show that the silting did not arise from the action of the quarry owners, as alleged, but from the practice of depositing general rubbish along the foreshore, which was calculated to increase the rate at which silting would naturally take place at one side of the pier. The local authorities are, therefore, interested in preventing a continuance of this prac- 907 tice so far as possible. The duty of maintaining the pier in a condition suitable for its original purpose now rests with the County Council.